Plätzchen (christmas cookies), Muffins and Cookies

The first three recipes on this page are some of my personal favorite
Plätzchen.

Marzipanstangen

Ingredients:

250g marzipan

200g sweet unsalted butter

250g all-purpose flour

100g starch flour

100g white sugar

1 packet vanilla sugar

1 large egg

3 drops lemon oil

about 500g marmelade (preferably homemade apricot or strawberry)

about 250g baking chocolate

Marzipanstangen.

Sift flour and starch together. In a separate bowl beat marzipan, butter, sugar, spices and egg until the mixture is fluffy. Add the flour-starch mixture one spoon at a time.
Using an icing bag place approximately 5cm long strips ("Marzipanstangen") of the dough onto a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Bake those at 175-200°C for about 8-10 minutes until they are golden (not brown!). Let the Marzipanstangen cool down before removing them from the sheet.
Cover the flat side of one of the Marzipanstangen with marmelade and put another one on top of that. Press together carfeully. Do this with all of the cookies.
Melt the chocolate in a water bath and cover the tip of each Marzipanstange with chocolate. Let the chocolate harden and then enjoy your christmas cookies!

Bibole

Ingredients:

180g sweet unsalted butter

300g all-purpose flour

125g white sugar

125g oatmeal (traditional, not preboiled)

3 egg yolks

1 tablespoon of honey

75g raisins

some of your favourite marmelade

Mix all ingedients into one soft dough. Make little cookies on your cookie sheet using a tea spoon. Bake those at 175-195°C for about 15-20 minutes until golden.
Once they are done you can go ahead and put some marmelade on top of them.

Liegnitzer

Liegnitzer Bomben.

Ingredients:

300g dark chocolate (Ghirardelli)

150g unsalted butter

4 eggs

150g white sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon gingerbread spice (ground cloves, cardamom, nutmeg, ...)

1 teaspoon rum

150g flour

150g ground hazelnuts

2 teaspoons of baking soda

jam (apricot or Hagebutte)

Slowly melt half of the chocolate and all of the butter. In separate bowl, mix eggs, sugar, spices and rum until nice and foamy.
Add melted chocolate and butter (be careful that it's not too hot) and stir. Finally, add flour, hazelnuts and baking soda.
Cover cookie sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil, and spread the mixture evenly. Bake at 170°C (~350°F) for 20-25 minutes.
In the meantime, melt the remaining chocolate, and spread on the hot cake right out of the oven. Let cool for about 10 minutes, then cut into 1 inch squares. Hint: The cutting is easiest with a piece of dental floss!
Let cool completely, and then glue a pair of these together using the jam.

Elisenlebkuchen

Ingredients:

100g flour (= 3/4 cup)

4 large eggs

200g white sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

a hint of nutmeg

zest of half a lemon and orange

150g finely chopped candied orange and/or lemon peel (mixed is OK)

1 teaspoon rum

450g ground almonds

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

black and white chocolate to cover them

Mix eggs, sugar, and vanilla extract until creamy. Blend in spices, and flavorings as well as the almonds until you have a solid paste.
With a teaspoon, place little heaps of dough on a cookie sheet. Bake at 150°C in a preheated oven for about 30 minutes.

Kokosmakronen

Ingredients:

4 egg whites

150 g white sugar

400 g marzipan

1 tablespoon of rum

200 g unsweetened coconut flakes

200 g dark chocolate to cover them

Beat egg whites until stiff. Add sugar and beat well. Cut marzipan into small pieces and slowly blend
into the eggwhites together with rum. Finally add coconut flakes.
With a teaspoon, place little heaps of dough on a cookie sheet. Bake at 150°C in a preheated oven for
about 20 minutes. After cooling down, melt the chocolate and cover the makaronen with them.

Banana Bread Muffins

Ingredients:

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup butter or shortening

3/4 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

4-5 mashed bananas (you know, the very overripe black ones)

One or two key limes (optional)

Mix flour, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Add brown sugar, butter and eggs.
Blend well before stirring in the mashed bananas. Stir until the mixture is homogenious. If you like a more refreshing taste, you can add some lime juice at this point.
Fill mixture into a muffin pan and bake at 350°F (175°C) for about 30-40 minutes until the top of the muffins is lightly brown. Don't overbake them!
Let them cool for a few minutes before you remove them from the pan.

Chocolate chip cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup butter or shortening

3/4 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup white sugar

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

In a large bowl cream the shortening or butter and add brown and white sugar. Beat until you have one smooth mixture, then add the eggs and incorporate them well. Also add the vanilla extract. Once this is done slowly add the flour, baking soda, salt and beat it all until it yields a firm dough.
Last add the chocolate chips and blend them in until they are spread evenly throughout the dough.
Make little round cookies on a cookie sheet from the dough and bake them for about 10 minutes at 350°F (170°C).

Oatmeal-Raisin-Chocolate-Chip monster cookies

Ingredients:

3/4 cup butter or shortening

1 cup brown sugar

1 large egg

1 teaspoons vanilla extract

3/4 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

3 cups rolled oats

1 cup raisins

1/4 cup chocolate chips

In a large bowl cream the shortening or butter and add brown and white sugar. Beat until you have one smooth mixture, then add egg and vanilla extract and incorporate them well. Once this is done slowly add the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and mix it all until it yields a homogenous dough.
Last add the chocolate chips, raisins and oats and carefully blend them in until they are spread evenly throughout the dough.
Make little round cookies on a cookie sheet from the dough and bake them for about 15 minutes at 350°F (170°C).

Coconut cookies

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter or shortening

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

1 large egg

1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 1/4 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups coconut flakes

In a large bowl cream the shortening or butter and add brown and white sugar.
Beat until you have a smooth mixture, then add egg and vanilla extract and
incorporate them well. Once this is done slowly add the flour, baking soda,
and salt, and mix it all until it yields a homogenous dough.
Last add the coconut flakes and carefully blend them in until they are spread
evenly throughout the dough.
Make little round cookies on a cookie sheet and bake them for about 10 minutes
at 350°F (170°C).

Amerikaner

This recipe is about how to make little Amerikaner (Americans). No, it's not
what you think!

Ingredients:

150 g butter

100 g white sugar

1 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons baking soda

300 g flour

5 tablespoons milk

150 g confectioner's sugar

6 tablespoons lemon juice

In a large bowl cream butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla extract. Beat until you
have a smooth mixture, then add egg and vanilla extract and incorporate them well.
Once this is done slowly add the flour and baking soda. Mix it all until it yields
a homogenous dough. Lastly add milk, use more if too dry.
Make little round cookies (about 1 table spoon each) on a cookie sheet and bake
them for about 10-15 minutes at 350°F (170°C) until light brown. watch out, they
will double in size! Meanwhile, mix confectioner's sugar with lemon juice, to make
a thick paste. Spread on the flat side of the warm Amerikaners.